Ripudaman Singh Malik Trial: A tense scene occurred in a British Columbia courtroom on Monday when a fight broke out after two men admitted to killing a man who had been acquitted in the 1985 Air India bombing case.
Ripudaman Singh Malik was shot and killed in Surrey in July 2022. He had been acquitted in 2005 of charges related to the Air India bombing, which resulted in over 300 deaths. Malik had consistently maintained his innocence regarding the bombing.
Supreme court hearing
Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez, both with extensive criminal records, were later charged with first-degree murder in connection with Malik’s death.
During a hearing in the B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster on Monday, both Fox and Lopez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, a reduced charge.
The court was presented with an agreed statement of facts indicating that the two men had been hired to carry out Malik’s assassination.
Financial incentive behind Ripudaman Singh Malik killing
According to Lopez’s lawyer, Gloria Ng, it was revealed that there was a financial incentive behind the crime. She added that while the financial motive was clear, other details about the crime might never be fully known to the public. Ng also expressed hope for Lopez’s future rehabilitation, noting his young age.
Following the guilty pleas, the situation escalated as a physical altercation broke out between the two men. Lopez, seated on one side of the prisoners’ box, ran across the room and started punching Fox in the head. Several punches were exchanged before sheriffs intervened, restraining and handcuffing both men.
Contract to kill Ripudaman Singh Malik
The agreed statement of facts outlined how Fox and Lopez were contracted to kill Ripudaman Singh Malik, shooting him seven times, primarily in the head and neck, while he was in his car. The prosecution presented strong evidence connecting the two to the murder, including security footage, DNA on masks and gloves, and bullet casings traced to handguns linked to the suspects. Additionally, over $16,000 in cash was recovered, though the identity of the individual who hired them and the reason for the killing remains unknown.
Malik’s family issued a statement urging the two men to cooperate with authorities to help identify the person responsible for ordering the assassination, calling for complete justice to be served.
Acquitted in 2005 of mass murder
Ripudaman Singh Malik, along with Ajaib Singh Bagri, had been acquitted in 2005 of mass murder and conspiracy charges related to the Air India bombings, which claimed 331 lives, mostly Canadian citizens. The attacks are the deadliest in Canadian history and sparked a lengthy international investigation, which resulted in only one conviction and significant criticism of the RCMP and federal agencies.
Inderjit Singh Reyat, who built the bombs, was eventually convicted, while the alleged mastermind, Talwinder Singh Parmar, died before facing charges. Ripudaman Singh Malik and Bagri had been charged 15 years after the bombings but were acquitted after a 20-month trial in which the court found key witnesses unreliable and determined the evidence was insufficient for a conviction.
Both the Crown and defence agreed that Fox and Lopez should be ineligible for parole for 20 years. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 31.
Read More: North Korea Deploying Troops To Russia Signals ‘Putin’s Growing Desperation,’ Says White House
